Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 171: Changes comes and goes(1)

The island of Harmway had undergone a dramatic transformation over the past two decades under Imperial rule. Once a barren, wind-swept outpost in the Confederation's sphere of influence, it had served little more than as a military base. Back then, Harmway was a place for weary naval crews to dock, fill their casks with fresh water, and make hasty repairs before resuming their journeys across the vast seas to more raiding. 

However, when the Empire extended its reach over the island, everything changed.

Now, Harmway had blossomed into a bustling hub of commerce, one of the most vital trade islands in the region. What had once been little more than a military garrison and rocky shores had been transformed by Imperial architects and traders into a thriving port city. Stone docks stretched out into the sea, wide enough to accommodate the growing numbers of merchant ships that arrived daily.

Warehouses lined the waterfront, their sturdy structures filled with goods from all corners of the Empire—spices from the east, timber from the northern forests, silks from the west and more. (Map of the story)

Where before the island had been neglected, its new role under the Empire had breathed life into every corner. Traders who once feared stopping at Harmway now found it an essential destination if they wanted to go for deeper voyage on the open sea.

The once-forgotten island had become a haven for long-distance voyages, a place where ships could dock, repair their hulls, and replenish their stores of food, fresh water, and other necessities.

The Confederation had used it solely for strategic military purposes, keeping Harmway barren and unwelcoming for civilian traders. But under Imperial governance, the island's natural advantages—its central position along major trade routes, its vast natural harbor—had been fully exploited.

The population of Harmway had surged dramatically over the past two decades , increasing by nearly half due to the steady influx of traders and most importantly, of their merchandise, human lives.

Alongside the legitimate traders came slave drivers, men who sailed across the turbulent seas in search of fresh captives. They raided unsuspecting villages on states hostile to Romelia, capturing their inhabitants and transporting them back to Harmway to be sold into slavery.Much similar to how the free lords did.